The total synthesis of L- (or 1S,2R,3S,5S)-bicarbocyclic nucleosides (8-15) has been accomplished. The key intermediate 3 was synthesized in two steps from the known chiral compound 1 through a stereoselective cyclopropanation under Furukawa conditions and its X-ray structure has been determined. The derivative 4 was utilized to obtain thymine derivative (8). Amine exocyclic pyrimidine (9-12) and purine (13-15) bicarbocyclic L-nucleosides were obtained from the (IS,2R,3S,5S)-2-(3-aminobicyclo[3.1.0]hex-2-yl)ethanol (7). (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.